FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs Sky - Game 34 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Aces vs Sky – Game 34 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Las Vegas Aces (30-4) | Chicago Sky (13-21)

 

The Las Vegas Aces stormed back from a 16-point deficit to secure their WNBA-record 30th win of the year in their 94-87 victory over the Chicago Sky.

The Aces vs Sky played at the Wintrust Arena on Thursday.

The Las Vegas Aces trailed the Chicago Sky by as many as 16 points. However, a 33-point third quarter helped the Aces erase that deficit, achieving their WNBA-record 30th win of the season.

The victory also helped Las Vegas clinch at least a top-two seed in the 2023 playoffs. The Aces lead the second-place New York Liberty by 3.5 games, with six left to play in the race for the number one seed.

Kelsey Plum celebrated her birthday by scoring 23 points (5-of-14 FGs. 5-of-12 3s, 8-of-8 FTs), 14 of which came in the pivotal third period.

Following Plum is a myriad of double-doubles, as A’ja Wilson (18 points, ten rebounds), Jackie Young (24 points, career-high ten rebounds), and Chelsea Gray (19 points, ten assists) stepped their games up when it mattered the most.

Wilson recorded her 19th double-double of the season, which is the second most in the WNBA this season. Meanwhile, Young recorded her first double-double of the year.

The Aces handled business against the Sky

Gray became the first player in WNBA regular season history to finish a game with 15+ points, 10+ assists, 3+ blocks, and no more than three turnovers.

It was the start of the Aces vs Sky first half. 

For the Sky, Marina Mabrey had 22 points (9-of-15 FGs, 4-of-8 3s) and five rebounds, while Elizabeth Williams added 17 points (7-of-14 FGs) and nine rebounds, and Kahleah Copper put up 13 points (5-of-11 FGs, 1-for-3), six rebounds, and five assists.

Chicago led 9-8 midway through the period, as they rattled off seven-straight points to go up 16-8. Chicago made 9-of-15 shots from the field in the period (60 percent), while the Aces made 7-of-18 (38.9 percent). 

The Sky also drained 3-of-4 from 3-point range, while Las Vegas struggled, going 1-for-8. Chelsea Gray led all scorers with eight, including the final six points of the frame for the Aces.

Chicago completely dominated in the first half, scoring the first four points of the second quarter to push their lead into double digits, 28-17, and eventually led by as many as 16 in the period.

The Aces shot just 15.3 percent from 3 while the Sky made 54.1 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from 3.

Las Vegas trailed by 14 with 7:11 on the clock, but then they scored 16 of the next 19 points over a three-plus minute stretch to take the lead for the first time since early in the first quarter. 

The end of the Aces vs Sky first half. 

Plum nearly outscored the Sky by herself in the period, pouring in 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. 

The start of the Aces vs Sky second half. 

Las Vegas turned things around, making 65 percent of their field goal attempts (13-of-20 FGs), while Chicago netted 35.0 percent of theirs (7-of-20 FGs). The Aces also drained 5-of-9 shots from distance.

In the final period, the Sky went up by four points on two occasions, the last time coming with 7:13 on the clock. However, Las Vegas scored seven straight points to take a lead they would never give up. 

The Aces made 9-of-9 free throws in the period, six of which came over the final 1:26 of play to secure the win. Las Vegas forced Chicago to miss nine of their 11 3-pointers in the period.

Las Vegas made 58.8 percent of their field goal attempts (20-of-34 FGs) in the second half, while Chicago made 37.5 percent of their shots (15-of-40 FGs). The Aces also connected on 6-of-11 3-pointers and 11-of-11 free throws, while the Sky were 4-of-16 from distance and 3-for-5 from the charity stripe.

Las Vegas now remains on the road as they travel to Washington to celebrate their 2022 WNBA Championship season at the White House on Friday, August 25th.

The final score of the Aces vs Sky was 94-87, Aces.

The Aces will now take on the Washington Mystics on Saturday, August 26th, at 4:00 PM PST.

 

– Jake Ideguchi-Furukawa – Franchise Sports Media

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